Kluwe thinks his activism for human rights could get him cut

Posted by Mike Florio on April 28, 2013, 12:43 PM EST

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On Saturday, Vikings punter Chris Kluwe took a glass-half-full approach to the team’s decision to select UCLA punter Jeff Locke in the fifth round of the 2013 NFL draft. On Sunday, Kluwe is starting to see the glass as potentially being half empty — and he senses that the buzz word if/when he’s released will be “distractions.”

“It’s a shame that in a league with players given multiple second chances after arrests, including felony arrests, that speaking out on human rights has a chance of getting you cut,” Kluwe told PFT via text message.

He’s referring, of course, to his open support for same-sex marriage. Along with former Ravens linebacker Brendon Ayanbadejo, Kluwe hired a lawyer who submitted a brief to the U.S. Supreme Court opposing California’s ban on same-sex marriage. (Other active and retired players eventually joined in the brief.) Kluwe has repeatedly spoken out on the topic, and he has addressed on multiple occasions the question of whether the NFL is ready for an openly gay player.

During the 2012 season, Vikings special-teams coordinator Mike Priefer called Kluwe out for wearing a homemade patch that supported Ray Guy’s candidacy for the Hall of Fame. “Those distractions are getting old for me, to be quite honest with you,” Priefer said at the time.

Of course, the distractions weren’t a problem when Kluwe was staying up very late playing Guitar Hero and Worlds of Warcraft, or staying out very late on Friday night doing shows with his band. After Kluwe opted to get behind a controversial social cause while also getting to bed at a decent hour, the team opted to acquire a player who, given that he was selected in round five, will likely have the field tilted in his favor when it comes to determining whether he or Kluwe gets the Water Pik.

Ayanbadejo, after he was cut by the Ravens, suggested that the decision was influenced by his support for same-sex marriage. Ayanbadejo then retracted that sentiment, perhaps realizing it could keep him from getting an NFL job elsewhere.

Kluwe, to his credit, isn’t worried about the connection between speaking his mind and staying on an NFL roster, in Minnesota or elsewhere. Now that his fate seems to be sealed with the Vikings, here’s hoping that another team will eventually give him an opportunity based not on his political views but based on his punting abilities.

96 responses to “Kluwe thinks his activism for human rights could get him cut”

Who cares. Kluwe has other off-field problems with the coaches that PFT seems reluctant to talk about for some reason…you guys act like this punter is some sort of saint, when he’s actually just an a**hole that is really hard to get along with.

That didn’t take long…Kluwe is already making excuses for being cut while lauding himself as the best punter in Vikings history. Which is it, Chris? Talks trash about player arrests in comparison? He’s setting up a self-fulfilling prophecy so he can probably hire his lawyer again to sue the team.

As a Viking 4life since 1968 it’s not Kluwe’s activism, it’s his inconsistency and it seems it happens when he decides he wants to open his big mouth. If he could be consistent in his efforts the Vikings would not have even contemplated drafting a punter. Even his position coach says he needs to concentrate on his punting.

Kluwe is a very-good punter, the only reason to get rid of him would be his activsim. I hate to say it, but with the Vikings spending a fifth rounder on a punter, unless the kid’s leg falls off, Kluwe will be getting his walking papers.

As a Vikings fan, I can assure people that that is not the reason why he would get cut.

For some time last season he was the worst punter in the NFL, hands down. I remember a stretch of 3-4 games where he had punts (indoors!) of like 25 yards and would give the other team the ball at the 50!

And then I read a quote on here somewhere about our special teams coach saying something along the lines of “I can’t tell him that. He wouldn’t listen anyways” in regards to some techniques and fundamental’s.

I know this would make a big story if he gets cut because he would play the “activist” card, but the truth is he’s just not very good.

He seems more passionate about activism anyways. I doubt you can play long in the NFL when it isn’t your main focus…

Not only does he throw other people under the bus, but hes so arrogant to think that the nfl cares enough him and his beliefs they would cut him. You’ve played like crap, bottom line. If anything, this is the reason the NFL wants to know if someones gay. As soon as something happens, “Its Cause Im, Gay!” Boom. Lawsuit. Im sick of hearing about this complainer.

More like him shanking punts for 10 yds or when you need a booming kick from him to pin the other team deep they get it at the Vikings 40. Also he doesn’t hit the weights hard enough, can’t tackle and last year was the only time in his career a punt wasn’t returned for a TD against him. He is too old, too lazy, too loudmouthed, too expensive and not concerned enough for the game but what he can tweet after.

Jeff Locke can blast it out of the back of the end zone on kickoffs, they want to take the load off Blair Walsh as far as that goes. Kluwe is just being a sore loser at this point pretty much realizing the young leg from UCLA is a better fit for the football team, forget all the other noise.

This is the equivalent of pulling out the race card everyone something doesn’t work out in your favor they can put the fear in ownership and essentially handcuff them anytime they want to make a decision.

And this is why political agendas may and will ruin credibility, people are never 100%honest and when they speak there words have repercussions. Work and life CAN coexist, however many times they WILL not and you just have to know when it’s appropriate.

Kluwe’s social views are getting far too much attention. He is way too inconsistent with his kicking. Look at his punts for any year that he has been in the league, he either booms ’em or shanks ’em and as a headcoach that would get maddening. Besides, Jeff Locke offers more than Kluwe as a punter. Locke is left-footed, which most return specialists will tell you is more difficult to field due to the reverse spin on the ball and Locke is pretty darn good at kickoffs and fieldgoals, consistently putting them in the endzone and has several 50+ yrd field goals to his credit, so if something should happen to the Vikings kicker, Locke is available.

Kluwe likes the sound of his own voice and thinks others should too. An average performer at a less than critical position is asking for trouble when he runs his piehole. That would be the same if he was an ardent tea-party supporter, and environmental advocate, or a gun rights supporter/opponent. Non-football distractions come in all shapes and sizes.

It’s not Kluwe’s off the field activism that is going to get him cut, nor his play on the field. The fact he has a hefty contract, and a higher resigning contract is the reason. They need cap help to grap a ILB or even CB depth. It sucks because I like the guy on and off the field, but even he says, “That’s the business.” I’ll still be a fan of his no matter where he goes.

A great punter can be a real field-position advantage for a football team. Kluwe did not give the Vikings an advantage. He was good enough, but the Vikings obviously felt that Jeff Locke had the potential to be a difference-maker at the punter position.

With that said, teams are obviously more willing to put up with “distractions” from players who’s roles are more important to the success of a team…so I’m sure Kluwe’s infatuation with public attention made the decision a bit easier.

Kluwe’s decline in consistency coincided with his increase in activism. Related? Maybe, maybe not. But take the activism out of it and he still wasn’t as consistent the past couple years as previously in his career.

Couple that with divisive issues being bad for business and the result isn’t surprising.

The Vikings really have every right to cut any player for any reason they want, no matter how much the Left wants to cry about it. It doesn’t mean his opinions don’t matter, just that the team should be allowed to distance itself from controversy such as this.

I don’t believe Rush Limbaugh was disadvantaged by his inability to buy into the NFL. His corporate masters still hand him millions to front for them. Much different from Kluwe, who would basically lose his job.

Go back and look at his tape. This guy shanked more punts in crucial situations than any punter that I can remember. He plays bass like a 14 year old in his parents garage and he jumps on any bandwagon that he thinks might get him publicity. Viking nation welcomes Jeff Locke.

Kluwe’s employers apparently believe that they may be overpaying for his labor. That’s what matters here.

His same-sex marriage advocacy is a red herring. The issue itself is an increasingly less and less contentious issue. The debate has been won even if we don’t realize it yet. It’s a complete non-issue for the overwhelming majority of people under 30 and will be legal in all 50 states by the middle of the next decade, at the latest.

We all knew this was coming didn’t we? Ayanbadejo said something similar then backed off it.
The truth is the NFL has given second chances to drunk drivers, animal abusers and wife beaters. And he really thinks someone would fire him for some words he said that has nothing t0 do with his job? It sounds like he wasn’t coachable. That’s much more of a problem to a team than some words about a political cause.

First of all, I’ll say I love Chris Kluwe and what he does. I think it’s important for athletes/celebs to be involved in todays issues if they truly have a passion for them. It’s obvious he has a strong beliefs and he does what he can to show his support and help.

I DO think there are players and coaches on the Vikings that are really annoyed by his activism and would rather not have him on the team. But that doesn’t mean the Vikings drafted a punter for that specific reason.

His stats are in the bottom half of the league and we know the NFL is a “what have you done for me lately” type of league. This a chance for Kluwe to prove he’s still got the skills.

If we see reports that Kluwe is performing better than the fifth rounder and he STILL gets cut, then he has a reason to speculate. But for now, it’s just time to suit up and perform.

Well Florio if Kluwe spent as much time working on his punting abilities as he does on his political views and social agenda, he probably wouldn’t be in this position. The guy just likes to hear himself talk.

The NFL personnel evaluation site, Pro Football Focus rated Kluwe 25th best out of 32 starting punters last year. Well below average.

He was so bad mid season that the Vikes brought in a punter cut in training camp by the Colts to challenge him.

Also, if he is so great as he claims and he is being cut for political reasons, he should have no problem finding another job after he is cut. I suspect he will not get anything more than a failed tryout.

I’m a Vikings fan and was a Kluwe fan a few years ago, but I’ve got sick of him spouting off about his various liberal agendas every chance he gets. Maybe some team in NY or CA will love him to come in and lead the charge in the war against 20oz sodas, standard capacity magazines, or whatever other ridiculous cause that will divert attention off the budget and other real issues.

In Minnesota, Kluwe is liked a lot because of his views on said topic. A punter was drafted because, as good as Kluwe has been, the last two years – and especially last year – were terrible. Every other game had at least 1 shanked punt.

I’m sure the Vikings brass aren’t wild about his soapbox comments, but if he were still a great punter, they would let it go.

Kluwe is the one who is politicizing. Marriage is not a human right. Just like health care and education. They are not rights. Marriage is between a man and a woman. The purpose of which is to procreate and establish a family. The family is the foundation of this free and prosperous nation. Those leading the charge for same sex marriage have one goal in mind. And it has nothing to do with anyone’s rights or compassion for others. That goal is the destruction of the American family. Just as the democrats have destroyed the black families under the guise of compassion and caring. Their welfare programs and other give aways have decimated the black community. They are looked upon as nothing more than sure Democrat votes. They are serfs for the Democrat party. Once the traditional family is destroyed the country will follow. The foundation will collapse. Many who support same sex marriage are dupes who are blind to the big picture. They are in Lenin’s words, “Useful Idiots”.

The thing everyone seems to forget is that Kluwe had a horrible year last year. Every other year he was one of the better punters, than he decided to spend more time talking about gay marriage and less time remembering how to punt. I don’t mind people speaking their mind, but when you are part of a team it’s being very selfish to the rest of your teammates when you are always in the news and then showing up on sunday and sucking when your only job is to freakin PUNT!!

consider him a success. When people are so open to public forums on such debatable topics ( I for one, see no problem with gay atheletes being in the open), his problem is that he seems to have an opinion on EVERYTHING. If it were just this, then i wouldnt see a problem. But what these people want more than anything is the self serving fulfillment that YOU will talk about THEM… Guess what!!! He has a post of PFT…
as far as the assistant coaching saying ” i cant tell him that , he wont listen anyways”.. that speaks volumes about you as a coach,leader, person and organization. maybe he should be fired for not being able to do his job.

I’d say his public comments about his activism getting him cut is symptomatic of why he is actually getting cut. His publicity is at times entertaining, but he’s too loud, and too public. Also he can’t kick for jack when the pressure is on.

Has anyone noticed that players, that now face release after the college draft, almost always whine their being released because they support a social issue? Could it also be the team releasing said player wants to get better, younger, etc , etc.
Thats what really turns me off on supporting or not supporting social issues is there is always “whine”
Go whine about the black Abortionists from Philly who murdered almost 53k born, aborted babies, and he murdered them by using scissors to cut their spinal cords. Kluwe wants to whine about social issues dealing with folks who only want to sodomize each other. So Kluwe which issue is a more important item inside the NFL? I don’t know either. But being an older NFL fan, Im finding it harder and harder to sit down on Sunday and watch these whiney players who are paid millions to carry a pig skin. Don’t piss off the – – – – – – – by carrying a pig, the pigs are reported as dirty,,

This guys coach told him to shutup and focus on football last season, instead he took to social media and smartassed the coach. I don’t give a s**t about his personal opinion. He was one of a few people on earth that make a million plus $ for kicking a ball and he screwed that up. FOOL!!!!!!

Kluwe is 31 and makes over $1.5 million a season. That’s alot for a guy who punts the ball 5 times a game. The Vikings have been on a youth movement, they cut Longwell who was still kicking well and went with a younger, cheaper draft pick that turned out well. This is no different, Kluwe is on the wrong side of 30, do you wait until he sucks or replace him when you can get a rookie the caliber of Locke, who had better numbers at the same UCLA school Kluwe went to.

Get over yourself Kluwe, this is a big boys game and its your time to go, stop whining about it being personal or political; it’s football 101, cheaper, better and younger. How about leaving with some class, you do have a little of that don’t you?

He’s at times funny and is a decent punter but saying dumb stuff that irritates the coaches is not a smart way to keep your job. Having bad games in critical moments on national television doesn’t help either. The new guy doesn’t even need to win the job outright. He just needs to be close enough and Kluwe will be looking for a new job.

stull60060 says:
Apr 28, 2013 2:16 PM
Kluwe is the one who is politicizing. Marriage is not a human right. Just like health care and education. They are not rights. Marriage is between a man and a woman. The purpose of which is to procreate and establish a family. The family is the foundation of this free and prosperous nation. Those leading the charge for same sex marriage have one goal in mind. And it has nothing to do with anyone’s rights or compassion for others. That goal is the destruction of the American family. Just as the democrats have destroyed the black families under the guise of compassion and caring. Their welfare programs and other give aways have decimated the black community. They are looked upon as nothing more than sure Democrat votes. They are serfs for the Democrat party. Once the traditional family is destroyed the country will follow. The foundation will collapse. Many who support same sex marriage are dupes who are blind to the big picture. They are in Lenin’s words, “Useful Idiots”.

Wow you couldn’t be more wrong about anything you just said. Why is marriage only between a man and a woman? Because an outdated, fabricated story called the bible says so? Because conservative christians say so? The last I checked we were a nation of civil law and not of religious law. If you truly believed in the founding principles of our nation, mainly the constitution, then you wouldn’t be able rationalize extending a right to one group of people and then turning around and discriminating against another group and not extending them that same right based on their sexual orientation. Some people only like the constitution when it’s convenient though.

And stull60060, you sound like some idiot right wing moron who has an intimate relationship with Jesus. Marriage is for 2 people who are in love and want to commit to one another, where do you get the right to tell someone what they can and cannot do? You Jesus freaks are all the same, you can’t prove god ever existed but you know what I can prove? Gay people are just normal people and they’re getting married, hopefully coming to a town near you ;)….moron

Could it bebthatnhebis just not that good? And it does not matter how righteous the cause, if you’re not the top dog, speaking outmakes you a mark. This is private employment, and no one has a right to run his yap.

who cares about whatever he thinks about any subject. what makes you so much better than anyone else Kluwe that you think your opinion on anything matters. how about the fact you whiffed on 2 punts against tampa that led to 14 points and a loss. or that you care more about your precious yards per punt rather than kicking the ball out of bounds inside the 20 and would rather boomb the ball through the end zone. maybe you would be better served doing what the coaches are asking you to do and concentrate less on your precious twitter account.

No different than tim tebow….you can’t get the team all riled up about something not on the field. Its like TO or any of those guys. Coaches and GM’s get fired over that kind of stuff and you cost ticket sales. He should have shut his pie hole…he is using the nfl as his platform thats not a professional thing to do.

Kluwe is going to lose his job because of his lack of professionalism. It’s one thing to take stand on issues, but another thing entirely to use your position as an NFL player to advance a cause unrelated to your profession, and assume that your opinion should hold water because of your position.

Kluwe’s antics have grown old. It’s a smart move by the Vikings to get rid of his distractions.

The punter is probably the most replaceable player on the team. Being a distraction certainly doesn’t help your cause. You sir are replaceable. I can see the discrimination lawsuits coming already. This guy needs to shut up just like any other player who is a distraction… Gay or not.

If it’s because he should be seen and not heard I’d understand, but he’s taking a stand on some polarizing issues and that brings attention to this draft of a punter in the 5th round. The Vikings will get some media public and backlash if he loses the competion. If this were on football principles alone no one would care about Kluwe!

If you can get a good young punter and save roughly 1 million per year in salary cap hits for the next 4 or 5 seasons why wouldn’t you do it? I didn’t hear Kluwe complaining when he got a decent 7 year extension…of which he received 6 years of the payout,,,if he is that good someone will pick him up….

This is a guy that measured the thickness of his scrotum on a morning radio show a few months ago (93x). Aside from the CONSTANT trolling of his position coach on Twitter (and I mean CONSTANT), he seems like a decent enough guy. But the Vikings have EVERY right to be tired of his personality after several years. I’m all for pro athletes speaking their minds on social issues that are important to them, but no matter how smart of a football player you happen to be, you are still just a football player – not necessarily a needed voice for the masses a la George Washington. Cool if you’ve got some things to say, but how about just shutting up for 5 minutes every once in a while and just playing the gdamn game.

Shut up, Kluwe and play football. I get a bit more than tired at folks that think they have some sort of entitled platform simply because they are in the public’s eye. Support whatever you want, but don’t be surprised if folks get tired enough of it to let you go away. Good riddance, if it happens. Too many good players to keep problems on the roster.

And stull60060, you sound like some idiot right wing moron who has an intimate relationship with Jesus. Marriage is for 2 people who are in love and want to commit to one another, where do you get the right to tell someone what they can and cannot do? You Jesus freaks are all the same, you can’t prove god ever existed but you know what I can prove? Gay people are just normal people and they’re getting married, hopefully coming to a town near you ….moron

Who says marriage is only between two people? Who says they have to be in love? Who says they have to want to commit to one another? Why can’t marriage be between 6 people? Why can’t a 9 year old marry a 55 year old? Are you putting limits on me? Who are you to define marriage?

First, let’s set the record straight. Kluwe claims he’s the best punter in Viking’s history. Not even close. Greg Coleman could consistently drop punts into the coffin corner, pinning opponents inside the the five. He also had a strong leg and was a good athlete.

Kluwe is about Kluwe. As a punter, he has a terrible habit of shanking punts in key situations. Not what you want for a playoff team. The Vikings and fans have had enough of his act and it looks like he can take it elsewhere – if anyone wants him.

And stull60060, you sound like some idiot right wing moron who has an intimate relationship with Jesus. Marriage is for 2 people who are in love and want to commit to one another, where do you get the right to tell someone what they can and cannot do? You Jesus freaks are all the same, you can’t prove god ever existed but you know what I can prove? Gay people are just normal people and they’re getting married, hopefully coming to a town near you ….moron

Gay people are NOT normal , its not normal for a guy to do another guy , men and women are made differently for a REASON!!!!!!!

It couldn’t be because his kicking is so inconsistent could it? No of course not. It has to be because of his views.

Kluwe needs to have the competition for punter. If players get to complacent they figure it doesn’t matter how they play. He used to be a great punter, one of the best in the league, but how many times last year did he shank a punt?

He has the right to his views, and in truth I would back him in them, but don’t blame your views for putting you on the block, blame your play.

Instead of taking the competition as a challenge he goes out and blames the organization. Yeah, that’s a way to keep your job. Blame the organization for your inability.

As a lifelong Viking fan I think Kluwe is nearing his end. Too many times during the season has he made things about him and his causes, and not about being part of a team.

Byyyyyyyyye! His performance was down last year. Why can’t THAT be the reason the Vikes drafted a punter? Kluwe is trying to play the victim. Easy solution: stop shanking balls in big spots. You just got next’d! #faith

I have no problem with Kluwe, and usually find his takes very refreshing for a pro athlete. That said, it’s lame for him to suggest that his positions off the field will get him cut. Man up, Chris, it’s been your horrible positioning ON the field that will get you cut.

The fact that Kluwe even speculates at the possibility of being cut for his political/social views, projects very poorly on those very same causes. In other words, he’s playing the equivalent of the “race card” and those previously on the fence will now see that the boy crying wolf is displaying typical liberal behavior. Never mind that his stats show he performs in the bottom 25% of all NFL punters or that he’d make 2 MILLION DOLLARS this year . Either fact, on its own, could be reason enough to get cut for a guy who will outperform Kluwe at a salary around $400K. And when Kluwe is cut and if he’s fortunate to get signed by another team, his new contract won’t exceed $750K.

Kluwe is going to pretend he is a victim in hopes that the Vikings will reconsider canning him for being sub-par?

This is precisely why the Teams in the NFL are not interested in making their teams a platform for gay rights. The very first time an openly gay player is cut, he will take the Kluwe stance and blame their release on their sexuality (In Kluwe’s case, support of something).

Listen, Chris. You are not doing a good enough job to keep that job. Saying you are being unfairly treated and that your politics is the reason for it pretty much guarantees that your agent will have to land you a new gig.

If I were running the rides in Minnesota, I’d cut him today and get it over with.

as most people have stated here, the distraction of his outspokenness is just the icing on the cake, it was his performance of the past year and unwillingness to be coached that made them think to get a punter this high in the draft. I also like the idea of Loche being a backup kickoff and field goal kicker. after Blair hits a 60 yarder, throw Loche out there for the kickoff.

But I still wonder about the coaches on this team that keep coddling a QB that didnt throw for over 70yds in 2 games….. and were quick to point out Cassel is the backup. Why is he getting a free pass?